Dramedy The Way West Examines the American Dream

The modern-day American dream comes under the microscope in Steppenwolf Theatre Company's world premiere of Mona Mansour's funny and insightful new play, The Way West. In a California town that's seen better days, a woman shares tales of death-defying pioneer crossings with her two squabbling adult daughters as she waits for her bankruptcy to come through. This hilarious and heartbreaking play about today's American family explores the mixed blessing of our great frontier spirit, which has fueled both self-delusion and survival. Fresh off her Tony nomination for Steppenwolf's Broadway production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Amy Morton directs.

Reviews & Ratings

Funny yet empathetic show about family and the decaying American dream. Well written, full of humor, but its easy to connect to the characters. A bit cliche' at times, but really a good show. The acting was superb and made the production.

Not the best play I've been to, by any stretch. I enjoyed a few small sections, my husband, however, did not. The ending was quite abrupt and in no way satisfying. I will say that the acting was very good!

Excellent story that made the people of the West make sense to me (I lived out there for the past decade), as well as made me think of the American experience in a way I never had before. Impeccable performances as well.

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About the Ticket Supplier: Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is an internationally-renowned company of thirty-five artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking, and textual adaptation. Steppenwolf has redefined the landscape of acting and performance by spawning a generation of America’s most gifted artists, including Joan Allen, John Mahoney, John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Plimpton and Gary Sinise. No other American theater ensemble has survived as long and thrived as much as the Steppenwolf company of artists, who return home to Chicago to do the work they love.